"You haven't visited me," Amelia said into the phone.
"Yeah, things have been crazy," Mallie sighed, flipping the pancakes she was making the team for breakfast.
"And you're avoiding me," Amelia said.
"I'm not avoiding you," she said.
"You are. Since that night, you've been avoiding me," she said.
"No, I haven't avoided you. I visited you in the hospital. I slept on a chair at your bedside and I translated all day for you when you decided you were French," Mallie said.
"But you haven't seen me since. I've been discharged and I'm going back to surgery today," Amelia said.
"And you're gonna kick ass. Superhero pose, remember?" Mallie said. She pulled the phone away from her ear. "Breakfast, you fat bastards!" she shouted loudly.
"Rude!" Maya shouted back. Mallie put the phone against her ear again.
"I'll come and see you later, how about that?" Mallie said.
"You will?" Amelia said.
"Yeah. And we can talk, or whatever. I don't know," Mallie sighed.
"We should talk," Amelia said. "I need to tell you something," she added.
"Tell me something? Is it bad? Is it about your tumour?" Mallie asked, putting the pancakes on the plate Dean was holding.
"No, not about my tumour. It's me. Me and Owen, I mean," Amelia said. Mallie frowned and turned the stove off.
"Oh. Okay, well, I've got to get to breakfast but I'll text you when I'm getting off work and then I can come and meet you at the hospital, or I'll meet you back at your place," she said.
"Okay. Thank you, by the way," Amelia said.
"For what?" Mallie asked.
"For being there when I had my tumour removed. I couldn't talk back to you but you just being there, sleeping in that chair for me, it meant a lot. Owen didn't do that," she said.
"Yeah, but his sister just got back from being missing. And he's a man. They're idiots," Mallie said.
"That's not why he didn't do it. Look, I'll explain tonight. Just, be careful today, alright?" Amelia said.
"I always am," Mallie said.
"I know, but please be careful," Amelia said.
"I know, Amelia. I will be. Promise," Mallie said.
"Good. I'll let you go for your breakfast," she said.
"Gracias y adios," Mallie said, ending the call and putting her phone into her pocket.
"What was that about?" Jack said. Mallie shrugged.
"Nothing," she said.
"Is it locked?" Mallie asked the woman who's house fire they were responding to. She, Jack, Maya, Andy, Dean, the woman, Ryan Tanner and his partner were stood inside the garage to get into the main house.
"Oh, yes, but I have the key. It's a biometric lock that unlocks with my thumbprint," the woman said, putting her thumb out. The device buzzed and she frowned. "Huh. That's weird. That never happens," she said.
"Ohh, it looks like you've blistered your fingers. They're not too bad, but the skin's coming off," Andy said, checking her hand.
"I doubt it can read her prints. You got an override code?" Jack said.
"Uh, yes. The panel's in the foyer. 0302. Month and year of our wedding," the woman said.
"Dean," Jack said.
"Yeah. 0302. On it," Dean nodded, heading out of the garage.
They waited for a few minutes in silence.
"He must've found the panel by now. The light should be turning green," the woman said.
"Dean, what's the holdup? Miller, do you copy?" Jack said into his radio.
"Okay, make sure he puts the code in right, because if he enters it incorrectly more than once, the system goes on lockdown," the woman said.
They waited for a few more minutes.
"Miller, respond," Jack said into his radio.
They heard a loud alarm turning to see the garage doors slowly starting to slide down.
"No, no, no, no, no!"
They all darted forward, the doors jamming shut before they got there.
"Axes," Mallie said, pulling the axe out and swinging it in her hands. Everybody nodded and they started banging on the door.
"Damn it! Nothing," Andy said.
"That's not surprising. I built this place to be a fortress. The doors and the walls are all actually reinforced steel. I work in cybersecurities, and I've got a lot of personal intel stored in there," the woman said.
"Jack, what's going on in there? Why'd you close the door?" Travis came over the radio.
"I didn't," he said.
"Is there some sort of override for the system?" Mallie asked.
"Not after it goes into lockdown. It's like your cellphone when you mess up the password a few times. It won't work again for a few hours," the woman said.
"The alarm will alert the security company to unlock the doors, right?" Maya asked.
"Actually, no. I designed an independent system. You'd be surprised how untrustworthy those home security companies are," the woman said.
"Okay, great. So, correct me if I'm mistaken, but it seems like we are stuck in an impenetrable box with fire spreading toward it right now," Ryan's partner, Rice, said.
"Not how I thought this day would go," Mallie said.
"Montgomery, what's the status of the fire inside?" Jack asked into his radio.
"Don't worry, we got you covered," Travis said.
"You know, I left my keys in the house. Otherwise, I'd say that we should just jump in the car and crank the AC to cool down," the woman said.
"AC sounds amazing, but it's also a bad idea," Andy said.
"Carbon monoxide," Mallie said, wiping her sweaty forehead.
"What I wish we could do is open that trunk," Maya said.
"Do you think we have a jack in there?" Ryan said.
"Ah! There they are! My tools!" the woman said, holding up a tool belt that she'd found. Andy took it, wincing at the tiny screwdrivers.
"Envisioned tools that were bigger than this. Don't know how those are gonna help," Jack said.
"Not so fast," Rice said. She picked one and then picked the trunk lock on the car. They raised their eyebrows, impressed. "What, you think Tanner's the only cop with a petty criminal history?" she said. The trunk opened and Mallie laughed.
"Nice," she said.
"Come on," Rice grabbed the jack and they started getting it ready for the garage doors.
"Montgomery, you got the jaws ready out there? Meet me in middle bravo," Jack said into the radio.
"Alright, ready when you are, Gibson," Travis came back over the radio.
They got the jack ready, the rest of them spreading to help.
"Ready," Jack said into the radio.
They tried for five minutes before Jack called it off.
"Back to the drawing board," Maya said.
Mallie winced, tugging her jacket off to leave her in her t-shirt and pants. She looked around, seeing the temperature was 110 on the thermometer on the wall.
"I was so focused on keeping people out, I didn't even think about people needing to get in," the woman said.
"Well, maybe you should have," Maya snapped. Andy raised her eyebrows and Maya sighed. "I'm sorry. The heat is just really getting to me," she said.
"Alright, look, everyone just needs to think cooling thoughts. Alright, the body can self-regulate," Andy said.
"Yeah, well, everyone has their breaking point," Maya muttered.
"It's 110 degrees in here," the woman said.
"Audrey, there's got to be something. I-Is there an air vent or... or, I don't know, an attic or... or a crawl space?" Jack asked.
"No. The whole unit is fortified six inches thick," Audrey said.
"Reminds me of my boarding school," Mallie muttered.
"Alright, well, if they're not getting us out from out there, we got to figure out a way to get out from in here. First things first... the coolest place in this garage is on the floor, so that's where we're gonna be. Everybody drop," Andy said.
They all dropped to the floor, Mallie lying on her stomach. Her hair stuck to her neck and she winced, pulling it up and tucking it into the messy ponytail she was wearing.
"Okay, if we get out of here, I'm gonna take the entire station out for drinks, okay... just all the drinks," Audrey said.
"I don't drink, personally. I prefer to maintain self-control at all times," Rice said.
"There's got to be something that can get us through that door," Andy said.
"I've got an idea. Is there a screwdriver in here?" Ryan jumped up, grabbing the tool belt. He pulled one out and opened the car door.
"Ryan," Andy said.
"Just like old times," Ryan grinned.
"Ryan, what are you doing?" Andy asked.
"What's it look like?" Ryan said, trying to hotwire the car.
"That's a truly terrible idea," Jack said.
"We can use the car as a battering ram. All we need is a dent to compromise the integrity of the door from in here to help our team outside," Ryan said.
"You've seen how tough that door is. It won't work, and then we'll be trapped in here with a damaged car releasing carbon monoxide," Jack said.
"It might work," Ryan said.
"Tanner, just-" Jack started.
"We have to try everything. What if this could save us?" Ryan said.
"It's too dangerous," Andy said.
"So is this heat! So is sitting in here, losing energy, hoping someone can make it through that door! We have to try. We have to try something," Ryan said.
"Ryan, I agree with Jack. It won't make anything better. It can only make things worse," Andy said.
"I respectfully disagree," Ryan said.
"Ryan," Andy said.
"I don't care," Ryan said.
"I'm Captain here, and I'm telling you to stop!" Jack said.
"You're not my Captain," Ryan glared at him, turning the engine on. Mallie groaned.
"Ryan, turn it off," she said.
"You won't dent the door, you'll just severely damage the car," Maya said.
"Please don't do that," Andrea said.
"We can't risk the fumes or the carbon monoxide. Turn it off!" Andy shouted. The engine turned off and Ryan got out angrily.
"Well, maybe the next plan can work on getting us out of here instead of killing us faster," Jack said.
"At least I'm willing to try something. What have you got?" Ryan said.
"Carbon monoxide poisoning, probably," Mallie muttered.
"So, the hydraulic door is out, the car is out and we're cooking," Mallie said.
"Yeah," Andy looked at her.
"So, we need something big to get us out," she said.
"Like what?" Maya asked.
"The same thing that's keeping us in here in the first place," she said.
"A psycho security system?" Jack said.
"Fire, dumbass. Explosive. I can make us a bomb if we've got the stuff," she said.
"How can you do that?" Rice asked.
"Not enough time for that. Now, come on. We gonna do this?" she said, struggling to her feet, the sweat dripping onto the floor.
"Yeah," Jack groaned, the rest of them following through.
"Once I light this, we've got about thirty seconds before the boom. Everybody ready?" Mallie said, holding the lighter to the homemade bomb she'd made, next to the gas cannister they had found.
"Ready," they said. Mallie lit it, hiding behind the car.
"The valve is loose," Maya said, nodding at the shaking valve on the gas cannister.
"It could blow and kill any one of us," Mallie looked at her in realisation.
"I can make it," Maya said.
"No way," Andy said.
"I'm doing it. I made the bomb," Mallie said. She smacked her helmet down, moving towards the cannister.
"Mallie, get back!" Jack shouted. Mallie kicked the valve shut at the exact moment the bomb exploded.
She was launched backwards into the concrete wall, her helmet crashing against the wall and then falling on the floor. She collapsed on top of it, head slamming off the concrete floor. She groaned, feeling the ringing in her ears already from the impact.
"Mallie!" Maya shouted loudly in her ear, pulling her to her feet. Mallie blinked through the dizziness, seeing the bomb had done it's job and opened up the garage door.
Maya helped Mallie out and over to the aid car, checking her head for injuries. Mallie blinked blearily at her.
"Amelia," she mumbled.
"What?" Maya asked.
"Amelia," she said, motioning to her head.
"How do you feel?" Maya asked, getting a torch to check her eyes.
"Like I hit my head off the wall and then the floor," Mallie said. Maya smiled slightly.
"Your eyes seem fine, no dilation or anything. Headache?" she said.
"Not like a bad one. It's just from where I hit my head," Mallie said, rubbing the sore spot above her ear. Maya pulled her hair out of the way.
"You're not bleeding, just bruised. You're with Amelia tonight, right?" she said.
"Yeah," Mallie said.
"Tell her so she can decide what to do," Maya said.
"She'll make me get a scan," Mallie said.
"Well, let's get you there and get you that scan, then," Maya said. "Captain!" she called. Jack looked over. "Gonna get Mallie to Grey Sloan," she said.
"Radio when you know how she is," he nodded. They got in the engine, Vic and Ben getting in with them to drive with them to the hospital.
"Just a very small concussion," Amelia said, putting the scans down for Mallie to see. She looked them over and nodded.
"Okay. I can go home, then?" she said.
"You can come home with me in ten minutes," Amelia corrected her.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot I was at yours tonight," Mallie said.
"I told Mer and she said she'd get the kids down before we get home so they don't give you a headache," Amelia said.
"Okay," Mallie nodded.
"You alright, then?" Maya asked, stepping over from the waiting room where she, Ben and Vic had been sat.
"Small concussion. I have my very own neurosurgeon to look after me tonight," Mallie motioned to Amelia, who smiled slightly at Maya.
"She'll be alright. She'll need tomorrow off but she should be back at work the day after," Amelia said.
"Good. I'll call you tomorrow, Cruz. Answer," Maya said.
"You got it, boss," she said.
"And, hey," Maya said. Mallie nodded. "Don't make any more bombs and get yourself blown up," she said.
"Sorry," Mallie said. Maya rolled her eyes fondly and left the patient room.
"Bombs?" Amelia said.
"Long story," Mallie said.
"Well, you can tell me at home," Amelia said. "I'll be back in ten minutes. Do not move," Amelia said.
"Yes, boss," Mallie leaned back in the bed.
"So, you decided the best way to do it was to kick the valve yourself when you were gonna get blown up?" Amelia raised her eyebrows as she dried Mallie's hair after her shower for her.
"Yeah, I mean, the bomb was the only way to get out of that death trap and the valve being open would've gotten us all killed. There were seven of us. I figured, even if it went bad, at least it was only me that would be hurt," Mallie said.
"You really need to be more careful," Amelia sighed.
"I'm fine. It's just a concussion. I've had worse," Mallie said.
"That isn't the point. You're still hurt," Amelia said. Mallie shrugged.
Amelia turned the hairdryer off and Mallie ran her hand through her hair, smiling at how soft it felt. She loved when Amelia would let her use her shampoo and conditioner and would then dry her hair for her.
"Are you hungry?" Amelia said.
"I'm tired," Mallie said. Amelia nodded, standing up to put the hairdryer away. Mallie lay back on Amelia's pillows, sighing as she closed her eyes. "You wanted to talk to me," she remembered.
"Yeah. It can wait," Amelia said. Mallie opened her eyes as Amelia lay down beside her.
"Can it?" Mallie said. "It sounded important," she said.
"I don't want you to avoid me again when I tell you," she said.
"You're not pregnant, are you? 'Cause I love Mer's kids but babies are the worst things ever," Mallie frowned.
"No, not pregnant," Amelia chuckled. "That's kind of the issue. I don't want kids. Not yet, anyway, and maybe not ever. But Owen does," she said.
"So, what are you guys doing? Having a baby or not?" she asked.
"Getting a divorce," Amelia said. Mallie looked at her.
"What?" she said. Amelia held up her hand, still without a ring.
"We're getting a divorce. And then Nathan and Meredith broke up so he and Megan can get back together and Owen's on a roadtrip with Megan to take her to her and Nathan's new house in California with Megan's kid," Amelia said.
"I missed a lot while I got trapped in that oven," Mallie muttered.
"You've missed a lot since I got diagnosed. You disappeared," Amelia said. Mallie rolled onto her side to face Amelia, a few strands of hair falling into her green eyes. Amelia reached over, tucking them behind Mallie's ear carefully.
"I run when things get complicated," Mallie said, eyes firmly on Amelia's hand as she pulled it back from Mallie's face.
"So do I. That's why we get on so well," Amelia smiled, rolling onto her side to face Mallie.
"I am sorry, for running. I wasn't gonna do anything while you're with Owen," Mallie said.
"But you'll do something when I'm not?" Amelia asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Uh," Mallie trailed off. "Look," she said, sitting up so she was leaning against the headboard. Amelia shuffled up to be level with her. "You're my friend. You're the only one I'll talk to after a bad call. You're the only one I trust with that and I haven't even known you as long as I've known the others," she said.
"I know, and I love that I'm the only person you can trust with that side of you," Amelia said.
"But I don't take risks when it comes to people I care about. And I'm not gonna risk anything with you," Mallie said.
"What if it isn't a risk?" Amelia said, eyes twinkling as she tilted her head to the side like a curious child.
"It is a risk. I'm a firefighter, I'm screwed up and this could just be you getting control of your impulses again after your tumour," Mallie said.
"I'm screwed up, this isn't me making a rash decision and it's not a risk. I like you, Mallie. I really like you and if you don't like me back, that's fine. It'll hurt like a bitch but you're my friend before anything else. You were never going to be some impulsive fling," Amelia said seriously.
Mallie chewed her lip, debating what to do or what to say. Amelia liked her back and that was amazing, but Mallie was still screwed up and her career would put more strain on Amelia than Mallie was comfortable with. Amelia already felt the burden of being the only person Mallie could talk to about work and Mallie knew that if they started dating, it would only be more for Amelia to cope with.
It wasn't that Mallie didn't want to date Amelia, because it was what she wanted more than anything, but rather the fact that she didn't want to let her guard down, let herself fall for Amelia and spill all of her problems, just for Amelia to run away from it.
As Amelia said, she and Mallie ran when things got complicated. Mallie knew the chances of Amelia taking off when she knew every dark part of Mallie was ridiculously high, because that was all that ever happened when Mallie told people. She also knew that the fight to break her walls down would be even harder and would probably completely ruin everything they had.
"Two broken people can't fix each other," Mallie said.
"I don't need you to fix me. I'm okay with being broken. I'm okay with you being broken. I've seen you in some states, Mallie, and I haven't ran away. Doesn't that tell you that I won't run when you open up?" Amelia said.
"It tells me you don't really know me at all," Mallie said. Amelia's face hardened.
"I know that you were a surgeon until the plane crash happened, but you started looking into other careers after the hospital got shot up and you operated on Derek with a gun to your head with Cristina and Jackson. I know that your mom and dad taught you to cook but by the way you acted when the kids asked you about it, you don't have good relationships with them. And you don't have good relationships with your siblings, either, 'cause you were awkward when they asked about them," Amelia said.
"Amelia," Mallie said.
"And I know that you block everyone out because you don't know how to let people in. I know that you're the first person I want to call whenever something happens because you're always the first person I want to tell, no matter what happens. I know that you have defense mechanisms to stop people from ever knowing more about you than you tell them. I know that I've liked you since I moved here and I know that you like me back, you're just scared to open up," Amelia said.
Mallie sighed and ran her hand through her hair, flipping it to one side.
"I don't know how to let you in," she said.
"You don't have to know. You just have to try," Amelia said. She reached out, hand hesitating between them. She bit her bottom lip, reaching the rest of the way to cup Mallie's cheek. Her thumb brushed over Mallie's cheek and Mallie sighed.
"Amelia, I don't want to hurt you," Mallie said.
"I know you don't," Amelia said softly. "I know you wouldn't ever hurt me on purpose. You're gonna need time to adjust to having me in your life the way I want to be in your life, instead of just being your friend. It's going to be hard for both of us, I know, but I wouldn't be telling you how I felt if I didn't think that something beautiful could come from this," Amelia said.
Mallie bit her lip, staring into Amelia's blue eyes. She did have a point. And with the way she was looking at Mallie, her eyes wide and vulnerable, being so open and honest with her about how she felt, it was very hard for Mallie to find any reason not to take the risk she was so terrified to take.
Amelia's thumb brushed over her cheek again and the touch jolted through Mallie's heart like a bolt of electricity, so thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
"Are you serious about this? About everything you're saying?" Mallie said.
"I am," Amelia nodded. Mallie nodded back.
"I'll try," she said.
Amelia smiled slightly, like she wasn't quite believing what she was hearing but couldn't fight the excitement about hearing it at the same time.
"You'll try?" she said.
"I'll try and let you in," Mallie said.
Amelia smiled wider and Mallie couldn't help but smile back. She looked so beautiful, so happy, and all Mallie could think was that making Amelia smile like that was her new favourite thing.
Amelia leaned forward, their noses bumping slightly. She met Mallie's eyes again, waiting for Mallie to give consent for what they both craved to happen.
Mallie leaned the rest of the way forward, brushing their lips together.
It felt like the fire roaring in Mallie's heart had taken over her completely. Amelia's touch lit sparks across its path, electrifying Mallie in its wake.
Amelia pressed harder against Mallie's lips, her other hand moving to rest on Mallie's waist. She gasped in surprise, Amelia taking the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Mallie moaned quietly, Amelia's grip tightening on her cheek.
Mallie pulled away, taking a second to catch her breath as she tried to calm the fire burning inside of her. She opened her eyes, blushing when she saw how blown Amelia's pupils were.
"I know," Amelia started, tongue darting out to lick her lips, "That this is new and scary for you, and for me. I'm just getting out of a marriage with someone I still have love for and you don't let people in easily. I want to do this but I want to do this right," Amelia said.
Mallie smiled and nodded, tucking Amelia's hair behind her ear.
"Un día a la vez," she said. Amelia smiled cutely.
"I don't know what that means," she said.
"One day at a time. We'll take it one day at a time," Mallie said.
Her phone buzzed on the side and she rolled her eyes, sitting up to grab it. Amelia stood up and climbed over to the other side of the bed, dropping down and pulling the blankets over their legs.
"Maya is making sure I'm still alive," Mallie said. Amelia chuckled.
"Tell her your personal neurosurgeon is making sure you are," Amelia said.
Maya Bishop:
You still alive?
Mallie Cruz:
my personal neurosurgeon is making sure i am
Maya Bishop:
I'm sure she is ;)
Mallie laughed and locked her phone, throwing it onto the bedside table again.
"Light on or off?" she said.
"Whatever feels easiest on your eyes," Amelia said. Mallie nodded and turned the lamp off, shuffling down to lie on the pillow. "I'll wake you up a few times to make sure you're okay and then Maggie's off tomorrow so she said she'd spend the day with you to make sure you're okay," she said.
"Okay," Mallie said. She yawned into the pillow, wincing as she felt a dull thud in her forehead. Great. She had a headache.
She closed her eyes, feeling Amelia's hand start playing with her hair a few seconds later. She turned onto her side to give Amelia more access, feeling Amelia's legs brushing against her own.
She was asleep within minutes, Amelia using her free hand to set an alarm for in three hours to make sure Mallie was okay. She locked her phone and closed her own eyes, her hand relaxing in Mallie's hair as she drifted off to sleep, too.